This invention relates to target reporting systems and, more particularly, to automated systems for reporting the location impacts, e.g., bullet strikes, on a target.
In the past, a number of schemes for automated target reporting have been proposed. One typical arrangement, disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 4,349,728, calls for the detection of airborne shock or pressure waves in a chamber as a bullet passes into it. Other prior art systems rely on the detection of vibrations in a rigid target material. For example, U.S. Pat. No. 3,678,495, proposes a target scoring system in which the approximate distance of an impact from a predetermined reference point on a reusable steel target plate is determined by measuring the maximum time difference between arrivals of an acoustic wave at a plurality of measurement points located evenly around that reference point.
A problem with such prior art systems has been the expense and difficulty of using them. The weight and complexity of some constructions, for example, make them difficult to transport, while the relative insensitivity of others result in only crude measurements of the location. Among the system which rely upon reusable targets, on the other hand, repeated bullet impacts may lead to target image degradation.
In view of these and other deficiencies in the prior art designs, an object of this invention is to provide an improved target reporting system.
More particularly, an object of the invention is to provide a target reporting system which is readily transportable, inexpensive to construct, and which accurately reports impact locations, and provides voice response.
A further object of the invention is to provide a target reporting system capable of utilizing disposable target images to prevent image degradation and to permit the target shooter to use a variety of target patterns.